The Last Four Latino elected officials left from the “Old Guard”
You should know that the leadership of “The Old Guard” of Latino elected officials has been disappearing with only four (4) of us left.
There was a time when the Hispanic community counted with Latino leaders with the caliber of elected officials such as Herman Badillo, Gilberto Gerena Valentín, Armando Montano, Ramón S. Vélez, Luis Nine, Roberto García, Olga Méndez, Angelo Del Toro, Luis Olmedo, Robert Rodriguez, and Hector Diaz... just to name a few.
All these Latino community leaders and elected officials came from Puerto Rico, some of them speaking "Broken English", but they had a mission to help improve the quality of life of the Hispanic people, who back in the day all Hispanics were called Puerto Ricans.
In those days there was no classification of ethnic groups. So, if you spoke Spanish or had a Latino surname you were therefore classified Puerto Rican. Unfortunately for the Puerto Ricans, if something good or bad was done by a Spanish speaking person the guilt, burden or credit was given to a Puerto Rican in spite of their nationality.
Today the Latino leaders of the “old guard” have been disappearing and a new blood of young, Latinos, for the most part, born and raised in New York, have been taking the reins of the city’s Hispanic leadership and have stepped in to continue the fight in favor of Latino “Hispanic community.”
Regrettably those, who back in the day struggle and paved the way with “macanazos”, who were slapped around and arrested in an effort to accomplish things like the construction of the new Lincoln Hospital, the institution of Higher Learning, like Eugenio Maria De Hostos Community College, Bi-lingual Education not only in New York but throughout the nation, ASPIRA, the Model Cities Student scholarship Program, The Hunts Point Multiservice Center, Casa Boricua, Betances Houses, United Bronx Parents, The South Bronx Community Development, the Puerto Rican Development Project, Promesa, and The Puerto Rican Day Parade. We have seen that little by little those Latino leaders responsible for creating these great Institutions, that was geared toward serving the needs of the Latino community have been disappearing.
You Should Know, that I'm naming those who became elected officials. But it's important to note that there is a large majority of community leaders of “the old guard” who were not elected officials but worked just as hard and were an integral part of the Hispanic community's achievements, victories, and triumphs.
Among them were Dr. Evelina Antonetty, Robert "Bob" Muñoz, Belen Dennis, George Rodriguez, Freddy Pérez Sr., Dr. Richard Izquierdo, Eliezer Escalante, Rev. Bernie López, Roberto Napoleon (Napy), Michael (Mike) Nuñez, Frank Lugoviña, Nick Lugo Sr., Simón Ramos, Federico Perez, Rev. Ambrosio “Bocho” Rodriguez, Johnny and Jarán Manzanet, Gumersindo Martinez, Americo Martinez, Israel Martinez, Salvador Cartagena, Iris Capeles, Noris Colon, Paul Mejias, Monserrate Flores and all the members of the Young Lords.
Out of those who became elected officials only four (4) of us remain. They are Congressman José Serrano, the longest serving Hispanic elected official, Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo, the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the state Assembly, Assemblyman José Rivera, whose political life has proven to have more lives than a cat and who can give a lecture on politics to the upcoming young leaders of today.
And finally this servant, who at the age of 75 can thank God for all that I have achieved, for the children He has bestowed upon me, Damaris, Samuel, and Rubencito, and for my wife of 25 years, Leslie and for the affection and support of so many beautiful people, from diverse, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic groups, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, African-Americans, Garifuna, Bangladesh, and so on. I have been blessed.
But as we know, all good things must come to an end. That includes the last four (4) Hispanic Elected Officials from the “Old-Guard”. As time moves on we “The old guard” must move on to the pages of history to make room for new blood, with new agendas, and new ideas.
The problem with some of our young Latino leaders of today is that they don’t know the history or the struggles of those who paved the way for them to be where they are today.
This is Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is what you should know.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
We couldn't agree any more with Councilman Rev. Diaz Sr. anymore, but he needs to look in his own backyard when he says that.
Has the Bronx Democratic Party turned into the Bronx Communist Party we ask. Does Councilman Diaz Sr. approve of the county leader picking a candidate for a seat months before the seat is vacant by an assemblyman looking to replace Diaz Sr. in the state senate? When asked what if the assemblyman does not win the senate race, Comrade Crespo replied "I guess we won't have a candidate then".
This reminds me of the time a certain Bronx Assemblyman and his father went to the Bronx Democratic County leader (ten years ago), asking him to support a candidate the two were backing for a judgeship. The county leader said I have my candidate, and after some more discussion told the father and son to leave.
I ask Councilman Diaz Sr. to tell me the difference from ten years ago of the county leader saying that he has a candidate, and the current county leader saying that he has a candidate without any interviews or talking to anyone.
I asked County Leader Crespo the question, and I was at the Bronx Democratic County office ten years ago when father and son were told to leave by then Bronx Democratic County Leader Jose Rivera.
That is what you should know, and Councilman Diaz Sr. needs to remember.
